March 11, 2019

Happy Monday everyone.  Here is a quick update of things that are happening around Grant School for the week of March 11th-15th:

1. This morning our 6th grade students are heading off to WES Camp.  Due to the Carr Fire, camp has been moved this year to the Lassen Pines Camp in Viola.  Students will leave Grant School around 9:00 this morning and return Friday afternoon.  I want to thank our 6th grade staff and our volunteer camp counselors for making this trip happen.  Have fun!
2. Also happening this morning is our second Triple P Parent Forum.  This meeting will be from 8:30-10:30 today in the Library and it is a chance for parents to get together and discuss strategies, best practices, and challenges that they may be experiencing. Our very own Denise Kuykendall will be facilitating the discussion and helping to apply Triple P parenting strategies and resources to support parents.  Coffee and some breakfast snacks will be provided so stop by.
3. Tuesday morning we will be holding our annual Kindergarten Round-Up.  The Round Up will happen in the MUR/Cafeteria from 8:45-9:45.  Parents of incoming kindergarten students are invited to come and drop off their student in our kindergarten classes and come to the MUR where we will have Grant staff on hand to provide information regarding services and programs that are provided to kindergarten students and their families.  PTO, Sports Boosters, and Triple P Parenting will be available to connect with prospective kindergarten parents and PTO will be providing a light breakfast reception.  This is a great opportunity to come and learn more about what kindergarten will look like for the 2019-20 school year.  Event parking will be provided.
4. Our Grant School musical production of Mary Poppins Jr. is hitting the home stretch and tickets go on sale today in the Main Office.  Performances of the show will be March 22nd (7:00 pm) and March 23rd (2:00 and 7:00). Reserved tickets are $15 per ticket and general admission $5 per ticket.  Cash and checks only.  Thanks to our Directors, the production team, and the army of parent volunteers for their help with the show.  Break a leg Cougars!
5. On Tuesday we will have our monthly School Site Council Meeting from 3:15-4:15 in the Grigsby Library.
6. The Centervilled Education Foundation will be holding their monthly meeting this Wednesday night at 7:00 in the Library.  Any and all parents are invited to come and be a part of CEF.  On the agenda will be a debrief on their fundraiser event held last month.  For the record, I did follow up on my end of the bargain and kissed the backside of Bonnie Blue, the cutest pig in the world, in front of the whole school at our Winter Sports Assembly on Thursday of last week.  Special thanks to the Pasalich family for providing Bonnie and helping us make that happen.  It was not easy!
7. As we enter the third and final trimester this week, we will be starting our Family Life units in 7th and 8th grade Personal Growth classes.  Before we do that, we will be holding a Family Life Parent Information Meeting this Thursday evening starting at 6:00 in the Personal Growth classroom.  Mrs. Williams will be presenting an overview of our Family Life curriculum for parents and answering questions that they might have about the curriculum.  It is a great chance for parents to preview what their students will be learning about this spring.
8. Well our school year is 2/3 of the way done and second trimester report cards will be sent home this Friday.
9. Our Student Council will be wrapping up their Pennies for Patients Coin Drive this week.  Students have been asked to bring in individual boxes filled with coins (dollar bills are okay too!) to help raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  The drive ends Friday 3/15 and the class that raises the most money wins a reward.

Here is information on a few things that folks should have on their radar screens for upcoming events:

• It is that time of year where we start to plan for what the 2019-20 school year will look like.  An important piece of that process is getting parent and student feedback.  I want to thank all of our parents that completed and turned in their Intent to Return Survey.  Beginning this month will be a series of opportunities for parents to drop in and chat with school administration to make suggestions for things that we can to improve.  Specifically, we will be looking for input on how we can continue to make progress towards district goals for safe and welcome learning environments, student achievement, staff development, and community engagement.  You can always give us a call, send us an email, or stop by the District Office.  In addition to those things, I will be holding Parent Forums on these dates, so swing by if you can:
  • Monday, March 18th in the Library (7:30-8:30 AM)
  • Monday, March 25th in the Library (7:30-8:30 AM)
  • Wednesday, April 10th in the Library (5:30-6:30 PM)
• School Cheer tryouts will be held March 25-28. Things will kick off with a Lunch Meeting in Room 13 on March 25th.  Students will then participate in tryouts held from 3:30-5:30 in the MUR on Tuesday (3/26) and Wednesday (3/27) where they will learn the routine.  They will show what they know on Thursday (3/28) and the list will be posted by 2:30 on Friday (3/29).  Coaches are looking for energetic, enthusiastic, and efficient cheerleaders who will help to spread school spirit next year.  Students must turn in a completed Athletic Participation packet in order to participate.  Good luck!
• Our graduating class of 2019 will be hosting a Fundraiser Breakfast at Logan’s Restaurant on Saturday, March 30th.  The breakfast will run from 8:00-10:00 and will include biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, bacon, and a beverage.  Pre-sale tickets cost $8 and the best part is that students will be doing all of the work.  They will be waiting on customers, bussing tables, and serving the food.  8th graders are selling the tickets.  They are also available from Mrs. McClung in the Library.  All proceeds go to support graduation-related expenses, including the 8th grade trip.

As you can see, March has come in like a Cougar and there are a lot of things happening these days at Grant School.  For more information on any of these events check out our web site or our Facebook page.  Thanks for all that you do to help us out.  Let’s continue to Make Every Day Count and GO COUGARS!